


Enemies to Enemies to ?

by yankeetooter



Category: Chernobyl (TV 2019)
Genre: AU, Angst, Enemies, Eventual Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:27:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27096553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yankeetooter/pseuds/yankeetooter
Summary: We all love how Boris Shcherbina and Valery Legasov went from enemies to friends (and beyond?), but what if things hadn't gone so well?Will they ever become friends?  Or will the angst continue?
Relationships: Valery Legasov/Boris Shcherbina
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	1. Thrown Off the Helicopter?

**Author's Note:**

> One of the first fanfics I ever wrote was based on the plot of HBO's Chernobyl, but had the friendship of Valoris intensifying much quicker than in the show.  
> But in this story, I take the opposite twist. What if things had gone much worse than in the show?

"And I want you to take Professor Legasov with you."

"Forgive me, Comrade General Secretary, but I..."

"Do you know how a nuclear reactor works?

"No."

"Well, then how will you know what you're looking at?"

____________________________

Boris stormed ahead as they approached the helicopter, his long legs making it easy to outdistance the scientist, who practically had to run to keep up.

_Good! Just make sure you remember I'll be taking the lead in this!_

They boarded the helicopter, Boris taking the more comfortable seat to the side, while Legasov sat between the two guards. Shortly after their flight began, Boris barked at the man. "Tell me how a nuclear reactor works."

Legasov looked up from cleaning his glasses, a subconscious habit he had when he was nervous. Nervous? He was downright scared at the way Shcherbina kept glaring at him. Was this even going to work? He sensed he was going to have to constantly fight to get his point across with this man. And now Shcherbina was demanding to know how a nuclear reactor worked, which was something many people never really grasped?

_Well, here goes..._

"That's hardly a simple question..."

"Of course! You presume I am too stupid to understand! So I'll restate...tell me how a nuclear reactor works or I'll have one of my men throw you out of the helicopter!"

Boris almost hoped the annoying scientist would refuse. Of course, he'd have to come up with some sort of explanation of why Gorbachev needed to send him another scientist, but still, it was a tempting thought. 

Unfortunately, Legasov sat forward and began explaining things, and Boris had to listen. But he didn't have to like it.

When Legasov started patting his pockets, looking for a pen, Boris let him squirm. Finally he gave him his own to use, just to stop the man from fidgeting. He understood the concept pretty well by the time Legasov was done talking; after all, he _had_ been listening at the meeting, but he wasn't about to let this pompous fool know _that_.

"Good! Now I know how a nuclear reactor works! Now I don't need you!" He was satisfied to see Legasov sit back in his seat, looking somewhat apprehensive.

_____________________

As they approached the plant, Legasov gasped. "What have they done?"

Boris, despite his despising this nerdy scientist, came to the window and looked over Legasov's shoulder. He saw a lot of smoke, but nothing else of concern, although that in and of itself was alarming. Legasov hurried to explain, something about graphite on the roof, but Boris' mind suddenly drifted. He had suddenly become all too aware of his proximity to the man. He could smell his sweat and the cigarettes he smoked, and an underlying scent that was somehow intoxifying...his cologne maybe?

_No! What was he thinking?_

Trying to ignore the thoughts going through his mind, he wheeled around and bellowed, "Pilot! Get us over the reactor!"

And of course that annoying weasel of a man had to argue with him, insisting that if they flew over the reactor they'd be dead within a week. Boris repeated his order to the pilot, but Legasov pushed his way forward and countermanded Boris' threat again! And the pilot actually banked the helicopter and flew out of the dangerous radius of the burning reactor!

_How dare he?_

Boris stalked back to his seat and sat down, absolutely seething. And then the unimaginable happened. Legasov, stumbling as the helicopter banked, fell back into Boris' lap. More out of reflex then from any desire to break the man's fall, Boris caught him and his left hand grazed Legasov's bum. Even as Boris thrust the man away from him in horror, he couldn't help thinking how lucious that ass had felt under his touch, how wonderfully plump.

Cheeks flushing in angry embarrassment, Boris jumped out of his seat and flung the door of the helicopter open. Bracing one foot in the cargo straps so he himself wouldn't take an unexpected flight, he grabbed Legasov, bunching the man's shirt and suit jacket in his fists, and dangled him half out of the helicopter.

"How dare you! How dare you try and override my order! I should...I should throw you out myself!"

Boris was so enraged that he was practically spitting. It would be so easy to just let go, but something stopped him. Maybe it was the abject fear in Legasov's eyes. Maybe it was the way the man had gone totally limp in his grasp, as if to say Boris should do with him what he would. Whatever it was, Boris pulled Legasov back into the helicopter, closing the door before roughly throwing the scientist back into his seat.

The remainder of the trip was made in silence, Boris glaring at Legasov the whole time.


	2. Some Sand and Boron, and a Blanket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things worsen between Valery and Boris.

Boris debated whether he should have the guards bring Valery over to his meeting with Bryukhanov and Fomin. He really didn't want the little snot opening his mouth unbidden but he might need him there to consult with, as much as he hated to admit it. So he motioned to the guards and watched as Legasov stumbled his way through the makeshift camp.

As soon as Legasov joined them, Bryukhanov and Fomin lit into him, putting him on the spot when he couldn't answer how the reactor might have exploded. Boris was rather enjoying Legasov's discomfort, even though he knew he was going to have to question the two about the graphite soon. But then he glanced over at Legasov, who was looking at him beseechingly.

_Damn it! Don't give me that look!_

Boris couldn't stand the man, but the look of anguish on Legasov's face was his undoing. Turning, he demanded, "Why did I see graphite on the roof? Graphite is only used in the core, where it is used as a moderator."

He focused on the two sniveling directors' faces, who were scrambling to come up with excuses. He refused to look in Legasov's direction, refused to acknowledge the gratitude that he knew would be there, even as he felt the scientist's shocked gaze locked on him.

Bryukhanov and Fomin continued to dissemble, until finally General Pikalov stepped up and offered to get a more accurate dosimeter reading himself. Boris noticed a timid nod from Legasov from the corner of his eye, and gave Pikalov the go-ahead. Then he headed for the nearest tent to wait, practically dragging Legasov by the arm to get him to follow.

_________________________

Boris paced the tent like a caged tiger. Once or twice Legasov started to ask him something and he all but growled at him. The other two sat silently, not daring to speak up and knowing what Pikalov would report upon his return.

When the general did return, it was worse news than any of them had expected, except maybe Legasov. And even he gasped at hearing the figure of 15,000 roentgen.

_Great! Just great! Now not only do we have a major catastrophe on our hands that I'm supposed to fix, but that man is going to be simply insufferable!_

He quickly had one of his guards escort Bryukhanov and Fomin off site, their fate all but decided in Moscow with their failure and attempted cover-up. Then a discussion ensued between him and Pikalov (with Legasov interrupting, of course) of how to put the fire out. But Boris had to admit the scientist spoke with confidence, and what he said made sense. He didn't want to admit it, but it was the best plan they had.

Maybe things would have started to improve between him and Legasov, but the moment was over once the man started insisting that they evacuate the area, and particularly Pripyat. Boris exploded at the challenge to his authority, and when Legasov persisted, he grabbed him by the shoulders forcefully.

"It's not for you to decide, do you hear me? Your job, your only job (he shook Legasov as he said this), is to consult on the clean-up! You are not in charge! I am!"

Boris stalked off towards the tent. To his amazement, a timid voice called after him, "Where are you going?" Boris spun around so quickly that Legasov cringed.

"I'm going to get 5,000 tons of sand and boron!" Then spinning around again, he continued to the tent.

Pikalov looked over at Legasov, who was trembling from Boris' harsh treatment. Sympathetically, he told him, "There's a hotel..."

_____________________

Later Legasov regretted the long walk to the hotel. He was shaking so bad, that he wished he had taken a car, and he couldn't help wondering why Shcherbina was so mean to him. He was only trying to do what was right to get the cleanup underway and get the residents to safety. Maybe a drink was in order.

But the drink at the bar did little to steady him. He could barely think straight, and almost blurted out the dangers of the disaster to a nearby couple before thinking better of it. Maybe he had just better procure a room.

But when he went to the desk, a suite had already been reserved for him and Shcherbina, with two adjoining bedrooms off the sitting room.

_Oh, just great! Well, I'll just stay in my bedroom as much as possible._

But when he got up to the suite, he collapsed onto the couch in the sitting room. Suddenly the vodka, the looming disaster, Boris' antagonism, everything, hit him like a brick and it was all he could do to sag into the cushions. What were they going to do?

His head pounding, he stretched out and closed his eyes. Just for a minute, mind. He didn't want to have to deal with Shcherbina when he came in.

____________________________

Boris came in the room about two hours later. Everything was arranged for tomorrow, the helicopters, the materials, everything. Finally, he could get some sleep. On the way to his room, he stopped short at the sight of Legasov stretched out awkwardly on the couch. Grumbling, Boris made as if to walk by, then thought better of it.

Valery's glasses were askew, and he was shivering in his sleep. The window near the couch was open and a chill breeze was blowing in. Boris quickly shut the window (the radiation!) and then gently removed Valery's glasses and set them on the side table. Then sighing in exasperation at himself, he went and fetched one of the blankets from Legasov's bedroom and carefully covered the scientist with it.

He stumbled tiredly to his own room and was asleep within five minutes after undressing.

To be continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our Boris doesn't know how to handle his burgeoning feelings, unless it's with anger.


End file.
